Manchester United’s incredible run of form under Michael Carrick is over, and so too is the clamour for the English coach to be kept on. His impressive start in his second stint in the Old Trafford dugout led to calls for a permanent appointment.
A 2-1 loss away to Newcastle United last Wednesday (March 4th) came as a wake-up call that there are still glaring problems with this team. There were shades of the shambolic performance in a 1-0 home loss to 10-man Everton in November.
Eddie Howe’s Magpies were also reduced to ten men when Jacob Ramsey was sent off for a second bookable offence. But the Tyneside outfit deserved their victory, which came via a 90th-minute winner from William Osula.
Lacey’s back just in time
Carrick hasn’t been without problems beyond his control as of late, as he’s without several first-team stars. Matthijs de Ligt, Mason Mount and Patrick Dorgu are all sidelined with injuries.
Matheus Cunha has since been a mainstay in Carrick’s XI following Dorgu’s hamstring injury suffered in January. While the Brazilian was bright at St James’ Park, that wasn’t the case for Bryan Mbeumo, who struggled to impress.
Some believe Amad Diallo deserves to start this Sunday’s encounter with top-four rivals Aston Villa. But Carrick might also be able to call upon Shea Lacey, who made a promising start with the senior team.
Lacey hasn’t appeared under Carrick since he replaced Ruben Amorim in early January. He has featured for the Reds’ youth teams and scored six goals in three Premier League 2 appearances.
Samuel Luckhurst of The Sun reports on X that Lacey has returned to first-team training with United. The 18-year-old missed around a month due to injury.
Lacey caught the eye when he came off the bench in a 2-1 loss to Villa in December. In his 12 minutes of Premier League action, he earned admiration from fans for his direct playing style and willingness to try his luck at goal.
Unfortunately, the English starlet was sent off in a 2-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup third round in January. That game came before Carrick took over, and he now has the chance to try to impress the current head coach.
Who starts vs Villa?
Lacey is unlikely to be a starter anytime soon, but he certainly offers United something different. His ability on the ball, along with his wicked left-footed strike, could come in handy as we enter the final stretch of the season.
What is certain is that the Reds need to improve quickly following the defeat to Newcastle. The performances have been a concern since a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in February.
Carrick might need to tinker with his attack, given how they stumbled at St James’ Park. Benjamin Sesko’s red-hot form ended, and perhaps using the Slovenians as an impact sub is the way forward for now.
That said, Mbeumo’s disappointed against Newcastle and maybe the Cameroonian is the one to be dropped. Amad is surely in contention to start, and the Ivorian’s directness could be key against Villa.
